Eden Hazard, Aubameyang and Heung-min Son would make our PFA Team of the Year! Here’s our London XI

Top trio | Eden Hazard, Lukasz Fabianski and Heung-min Son feature heavily

The north west dominated the PFA Team of the Year with no player outside Manchester or Liverpool making the cut this season.

Perhaps unsurprising, given that Liverpool and Manchester City are streets ahead in the Premier League this term, but a few down in the capital will be disappointed not to have claimed Paul Pogba's spot.

The United midfielder has contributed well this season with goals and assists, though the majority of his goals have come from the penalty spot and his form has been alarmingly inconsistent.

Given the capital's duck when it comes to the final XI, voted for by the players themselves, we asked the Standard Sport reporters to name their London team of the season...

James Olley | @JamesOlley

(4-2-3-1) Foster; Wan-Bissaka, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Holebas; Rice, Sissoko; Son, Hazard, Aubameyang; Lacazette

Declan Rice, Heung-Min Son and Ben Foster won individual honours at this year’s London Football Awards and that trio therefore provide a good place to start. Watford are the team to have most exceeded pre-season expectations with Jose Holebas among their most impressive performers while Tottenham have the best defensive record of our clubs and their strongest centre-backs just edge out Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger. Abdoulaye Doucoure is very unfortunate to miss out but my system dictated a straight fight with Moussa Sissoko, who has arguably been Spurs’ player of the season.

Rising star | Declan Rice has already scooped one London award this season and has forced his way into the England side
Action Images via Reuters

Arsenal duo Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have ensured the Gunners are only outscored to date by Manchester City and Liverpool while Eden Hazard has once again admirably carried Chelsea’s creative burden. Honourable mentions for Harry Kane and Bernd Leno.

Simon Johnson | @sjstandardsport

(4-4-2) Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Alderweireld, Cathcart, Holebas; Heung-Min Son, Eriksen, Rice, Hazard; Kane, Aubameyang.

Some of the names speak for themselves, but London's less fancied clubs are well represented.

The goalkeeper category is unusually lacking in quality this year, however Fabianksi has shone for West Ham.

Watford's impressive campaign has been built on solid defensive performers like Cathcart and Holebas, while Crystal Palace's Wan-Bissaka has been outstanding. The back four is completed by silky smooth Toby Alderweireld, who has been very consistent for Spurs.

Breakthrough | Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been outstanding for Crystal Palace this term
Action Images via Reuters

Declan Rice had to be included in defensive midfield after breaking into the England side with his consistent displays for West Ham.

To fit in the high calibre of creative players and goal-scorers from Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal, I have had to go with a 4-4-2 formation.

It might not be a balanced side, but it would be entertaining.

In pictures | PFA Team of the Year 2018/19

1/11

Giuseppe Muro | @giuseppemuro

(4-2-3-1) Foster; Wan-Bissaka, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Holebas; Rice, Sissoko; Son, Hazard, Ramsey; Aubameyang

Eden Hazard and Heung-Min Son should both have made the actual team but the biggest surprise for me is Aaron Wan-Bissaka missing out. If the PFA got left wingers to vote for the right-back position then I’d put good money on Wan-Bissaka getting more votes than Trent Alexander-Arnold. He should have made shortlist for PFA Young Player of the Year, too.

Ben Foster has got to be one of the bargains of the season at £4m and Aaron Ramsey deserves his place in a London XI. Harry Kane misses out because of his injuries. Moussa Sissoko gets the captain's armband.

Dan Kilpatrick | @Dan_KP

(4-3-3) Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Alderweireld, Rudiger, Holebas; Kante, Milivojevic, Eriksen; Hazard, Aubameyang, Son

Fabianski, Hazard and Son, in particular, are unfortunate not to have made the actual XI and all three of my midfield picks are more deserving than Pogba.

Super Son | Heung-min Son has shone for Spurs in a long season
EPA

Declan Rice and Moussa Sissoko also have strong cases for the London XI. Both have been more consistent than Eriksen but I'm taking this very seriously and wanted some midfield creativity. Kane just misses out, largely because of injuries.

Simon Collings | @sr_collings

(4-2-3-1) Foster; Wan-Bissaka, Alderweireld, Sakho, Holebas; Doucoure, Rice; Son, Hazard, Aubameyang; Lacazette

How Heung-min Son hasn’t made the PFA Team of the year is beyond me and he was the first name in my London XI. I realise I have more Watford players than any other team, but that is a testament to how far they have punched above their weight this season.

Harry Kane could have got in ahead of Alexandre Lacazette up top perhaps, while Christian Eriksen and penalty-taking king Luka Milivojevic also get an honourable mentions.

Jack Rosser | @JackRosser_

(4-3-3) Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Kolasinac; Rice, Eriksen, Ramsey; Hazard, Son, Aubameyang

Signed from relegated Swansea for a bargain at £7million, Lukas Fabianski has given West Ham the consistency in goal they’ve been looking for in recent years.

At the back, having seemingly been on the way out this time last year, Toby Alderweireld has been a rock for Spurs. Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger deserves an honourable mention but is pipped by Jan Vertonghen.

Demon duo | Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen form a fearsome partnership at centre-back (Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I

Left-back is perhaps the weakest spot in the capital. Danny Rose could easily have been in this side but Sead Kolasinac has proved more of a threat. There are plenty of candidates in midfield, Moussa Sissoko has been outstanding in north London, but Declan Rice has propelled himself to being the key man at West Ham and forced his way into the England side. Aaron Ramsey and Christian Eriksen have delivered at real times of need for their respective sides, the former’s contributions ever more impressive given his future lies in Italy.

Eden Hazard was the glaring omission from the PFA Team of the year while Heung-min Son has been outstanding given the demands placed on him and the miles covered for South Korea during the season while Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has racked up an impressive amount of goals given his starting berth has not been assured all season.

Vaishali Bhardwaj | @VaiBhardwaj

(4-3-3) Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Rudiger, Vertonghen, Kolasinac; Eriksen, Kante, Rice; Son, Aubameyang, Hazard

Fabianski has been superb for West Ham and, based on his stats this season, he beats Bernd Leno to a spot in my team. In defence, I've picked two attacking full-backs - with Wan-Bissaka the obvious choice while Kolasinac is in there too based on how well he can move up and down the flanks to defend and create attacks, and indeed assists, at Arsenal. Rudiger has easily been Chelsea's best defender this season and he is paired with Tottenham's in-form centre-back in Vertonghen.

Despite the fact that Kante is more comfortable playing as part of a central midfield pair, he has shown versatility and adaptability in a three-man midfield under Maurizio Sarri - and, by playing him in a three, it means I can also get in Eriksen, who has 12 assists this term, and another more defensively-minded midfielder in Rice, who has enjoyed a consistent season for West Ham.

PA

On the wings, Hazard and Son are both automatic picks but I chose Aubameyang over Kane because of the Arsenal striker's Premier League goals tally (19) to the Spurs striker's tally (17) and the fact the latter has spent much of this season out injured.